53: You Know Vamps

The cafe is more crowded than I expected it to be, seeing as it’s nearly two in the morning. I guess, the city never sleeps, especially when half of the city is demizens. Caleb leads the way, picking a booth in the far corner of the diner.

The waitress immediately arrives placing menus before us, smile on her face. Caleb pushes his menu back at her, his head shaking. “Just a cup of coffee for me” He says.

Her eyes fall to me. My stomach is in knots from Caleb’s refusal of food. What the hell is going on? So I do the same and order nothing but a drink. “Iced tea...please.”

She leaves and Caleb and I stare at each other, silent. It doesn’t take long for her to return with our drinks in hand. She says the waitress-y phrase, ‘let me know if you need anything else’ before leaving.

The tension that rolls off Caleb is thick and almost suffocating. I know we haven’t been on the bestest of terms lately, but it’s never been so nerve-wracking or awkward between us. Something is eating away at him and I can’t help but to think that it will end up eating away at me too.

“I’m leaving the pack.” He blurts out.

I’m speechless for a few seconds. That wasn’t something I had been expecting. Caleb has been in the pack for years...years. Nearly born into I always said. “And Marcus is okay with this?” There’s a little part of me that panics because I don’t need to watch my back anymore than I am. First Phillip, then ghosts and now potentially Marcus.

“No, he doesn’t know I’m doing it. I’ve been stashing things in my car for the past few days. I’m leaving tonight.” His deep brown eyes meet mine from across the booth.

“Oh.” The one, single word tumbles out of my mouth.

“And I want you to come with me.”

“Oooohhh.” I draw out the word as I’m stunned speechless again. “I…I-”

“...can’t.” He says the word for me. His head drops just a tiniest bit and he refuses to meet my eye after that. He fumbles with his cup, but never brings it to his lips. “I figured, but I thought I would try.” He moves to stand up from the booth. “I should get going.” He mumbles.

“And where exactly are you going?” My words stop him from exiting the booth.

“Scarlet River.”

“What?” Marcus’s pack, the Midnight Harrows rival. That’s where he’s going? “There has to be-”

“Be another pack? Yes, but Scarlet sends a message.”

“And what’s with the sudden disobedience?” Not that I minded Caleb finally standing up and not taking Marcus’s crap anymore, but I can’t help but to wonder why. Not to mention that I can’t help but hate his newly chosen pack either. Mindlessly, I bring my iced tea to my mouth and take a sip. It’s bitter and needs more sugar.

“I’m scheduled to marry Gloria next week.”

I choke on my sip of tea and I barely manage to keep it from spitting out from between my pursed lips. The bitterness suddenly becomes too much. “What?” The word is barely audible as my heart clammers to a painful stop.

I knew that Marcus wanted the two of them together, but for some reason I didn’t think that he would have them marry. Apparently, Marcus really does hate me that much and he really dislikes Caleb to the point of him doing things that make Caleb unhappy. Am I surprised though? The alpha is always showing his superiority.

“I’m not marrying her, Hazel. I’d rather die.” His eyes roam around the cafe.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true seeing as he did sleep with the girl. Maybe his conscience caught up with him, maybe he saw a future that he grew accustomed to slip away and morph into something he didn’t like.

He keeps talking as my mind still tries to wrap around everything he’s said so far. “I ran into some Scarlet members and one thing led to another and they offered to take me in. They’re more easygoing.”

“And more violent.” I counter, but violent is only one word to describe them, there’s plenty more. It was Scarlet River wolves that got a little too handsy with Avery and I at Young & Restless. I don’t see Caleb fitting in with them or I don’t want to see Caleb fit in with them.

“And more tolerant of members dating whoever they choose.” His hand snakes across the table, his fingertips grazing my thumb. “Come. With. Me.” he asks again, more desperate this time. He can see my answer coming, the same answer from before. “It isn’t going to end well with him, Hazel. You know vamps.” He snaps.

“It’s complicated.” And that’s the truth. I can’t run away from Gabriel and Phillip even if I wanted to, because if I do we wouldn’t live that long to see it through. But there’s no telling Caleb any of that. “It’s just black and white, cut and dry.”

“You got yourself into trouble, but you’re fine, right?” He uses my own words against me and his sarcasm stings. My lips smack apart to argue with him, but he cuts me off. “You know where to find me when that vampire of yours shows his true colors. I just hope you’re still alive when he does.” He gets up from the table. “I’ll see you around, Hazel.”

I stay at the both for several minutes, dumbfounded. Lips numb, mind blank. He’s right, but also wrong at the same time or at least I hope he’s wrong. I pay the waitress and leave. Caleb’s coffee remains untouched and my tea is still full.

The walk back to my apartment is in a haze. I pay attention to the people I pass on the sidewalk. I don’t hear my name being hollered from behind me until a pair of hands jerk me to a stop.

“Hazel.” Gabriel’s voice is full of concern. “I’ve been calling for you for blocks.” Several eyes stare at us as they pass and Gabriel leads me inside the complex. “I went by the shop, but it was already closed.”

“I didn’t know if you were coming.” I mutter, my mind still in a completely different place.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.” I reply too quickly giving my inner turmoil away. “It’s nothing important. Caleb was waiting for me when I left and we went to Lola’s because he said he wanted to talk.” I pause.

“And?” Gabriel’s demeanor changes. He’s eager, but on edge to hear what the wolf had to say.

“He’s leaving. Tonight. He’s leaving Marcus’s pack to join Scarlet River.” I open my mouth to continue but end up snapping it shut instead. Gabriel notices and his golden eyes narrow urging me to continue. “And he wanted me to come with him.”

“You said no, right?”

“Yeah...I mean, I need to make sure the ritual goes right or what’s the point in leaving when we’ll all die anyways.”

“And if you didn’t have to fix Brooklynn’s mistake?” He says with a tinge of annoyance. “Then what? You would’ve gone with him?” Gabriel looms over me, but not defensively, but suddenly regretful.

“No. A lot of things have changed since when Caleb and I were together.” For better or for worse, I’m not entirely sure of yet. “It just took me by surprise. Caleb has been with Midnight Harrows for a really long time and I never thought that he would...leave.”

What I really wanted to say is that after years of us being together he didn’t even think about or consider leaving the pack, but now forced with marriage, he runs as fast as he can. Was I not important enough? Was I just always there, always ready to fall back on?

“He’ll be fine.” Gabriel brings his hand to my chin and tips my head up so I meet his eyes. “And you’re better off without him.”

I give him a tight lipped smile unsure of what to say. He will be fine and I can only hope I’ll be better off without him, but I can’t help but to feel that I lost a friend. There’s this ache in my chest that reminds me of the loss.

We walk the short ways to my apartment door, Gabriel’s arm wrapped around my shoulders and my mind blank once again. I quickly invite him in and drop my things on the kitchen table like always. I slip my shoes off and kick them under the table. My back arches into a stretch eager to relax from being hunched over my table all day.

Gabriel lingers close by. “You should get some rest. We have a big night tomorrow.”

Don’t remind me, I groan to myself. At his words, a yawn tries to escape my mouth, but I fight against it and lose. “You’re right.” I barely have time to say before another yawn comes. “I did finish it, the spell.”

A smile spreads across Gabriel’s lips. “I knew you would. But now you need to get some sleep. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” He scoops me up in his arms and whisks me away toward the bedroom. Once my feet hit the ground, he asks, “can I lay with you?”

“Of course.” I shimmy out of my clothes aware of his eyes watching me before I can slide under the blanket. Gabriel quickly follows. Unclothed and under the blanket as well, I nuzzle along the side of his body and fall asleep.

Thoughts of Caleb and Jezmin and tomorrow fight to take over my unconsciousness.

*My closed sleeping eyes open and I find myself in the alley of the market. It’s filled with denizens like always, but most of those that linger now are demons. They go about their business either luring in the stupid or being aggressive with those they detest.

The moment I see them, I expect their black eyes to land on me. Predator catching sight of prey for the first time, but no eyes turn. Not a single one. Left confused and bewildered, I slowly walk further down the alley.

Something isn’t right? This isn’t how it usually works. I’m so used to being chased and attacked or falling into my own grave that being invincible is somehow more stressful. I wait for that one demon to notice me, to pounce on me. My heart hammers so loudly that I can’t overhear any of the hushed conversations.

Until my eyes meet Evangeline. Then time seems to stand still, a silence washes over the entire alley and my hammering heart ceases. She’s dressed more proactively than usual, her hair up in a tight knot on top of her head and her arms tightly latched around the leather clad arm of Felix.

She trails her finger down his chest, but not pressing too hard as to burn herself. I can’t process what I see before me. One of Phillip’s witches cohorting...romantically with a demon that has made his hatred of Phillip known.

Her lips nearly touch his ear as she whispers to him. “You got something for me?” It puts a smile on his face.

And then there’s an exchange. I catch a flash of the book before it’s passed from Felix to Evangeline, who shoves it in her purse. Well, I know where they got the book from at least. And as I continue to stare at them, I become ever more appalled.

Felix pushes Evangeline against the brick wall and slaps his hand to her bare thigh. She sucks in a breath, holding back a shriek by quickly clenching her teeth not letting her pain show. As he slides his hand up along her body leaving a red trail behind on her exposed skin, I start to think maybe she likes the pain.

His lips touch various parts of her body leaving little red welts, but she strokes his hair and giggles in his ear. The sound of her phone blaring from inside her purse breaks the two of them apart.

“It’s Brooklynn. Gotta go Babe.” She peels herself off the wall and adjusts her skirt.

“You know what to do.” Felix says as she takes a couple of steps away. He slaps her ass before she’s out of reach.

More giggles escape her mouth as she leaves the alleyway. My eyes follow her in disbelief. She’s on the demon's side. She set up the coven for failure. But why?

“Hey there, little witch.” A deep voice says from behind me, too close behind me.

Before I have a chance to turn around a scolding hot hand grips the top of my shoulder crippling me.*

I wake up with a scream, my hand immediately going to the shoulder that was seared with demon fire.

“It's okay. You’re okay.” Gabriel’s soft words calm me, but only so much.

I’m still on edge and sleep doesn’t come as easily as it did before. I force my eyes closed and desperately try to calm my heart, which is hard to do with a phantom burn still has my shoulder on fire.

But there’s something that makes my stomach toss even more. The thought of having to call out one of Jaded Divine’s members . They hated me before, they’ll hate me even more for at least a short while.